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Doc. No. 75. 



commissioner for Netherlands to the Grand Diet of Bavaria, upon the 

 representations of the commissioners for Central America, Sefiors Larri- 

 zabel and Molina. In March, 1829, the Dutch general arrived in Guate- 

 mala, as plenipotentiary of his government, with instructions regarding 

 the undertaking of the canal. In consequence of civil distractions, the 

 subject was not taken up until tlie succeeding October, when the federal 

 Congress passed new resolutions upon it. 



Ttie offers made by the association were exceedingly liberal; the work 

 was to be executed under the protection of the King, and as soon as the 

 outlay, with ten per cent, interest upon the same, was repaid to the com- 

 pany, the work was to revert to the republic. Arrangements were made 

 to send envoys to the Netherlands, with full powers to perfect the plan, 

 and for a time the work seemed in a fair way to a commencement, but the 

 revolution of Belgium and the separation of Holland put an end to these 

 hopes. In 1832, endeavors were made to renew the negotiations with 

 Holland, and the State of Nicaragua passed resolutions agreeing to the 

 proposinons of the Dutch envoy, but nothing was accomplished. 



Upon the 3d of March, 1835, public attention having again been direct- 

 ed to the subject, a resolution passed the Senate of the United States, 

 ^'that the President be requested to consider the expediency of opening 

 negotiations with the governments of other nations, and particularly with 

 the governmenis of Central America and New Grenada, for the purpose 

 of effectually protecting, by suitable treaty stipulations with them, such 

 individuals or companies as may undertake to open a communication from 

 the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans, by means of a ship canal across the isth- 

 mus which connects North and South America, and of securing forever, 

 by means of such stipulations, the free and equal right of navigating such 

 canal to all nations, on the payment of such reasonable tolls as may be 

 established to compensate the capitalists who may engage in such under- 

 taking and complete the work." 



Under this resolution, (says Mr. Stephens,) a special agent was ap- 

 pointed by General Jackson, to proceed without delay, by the most direct 

 route, to the port of San Juan de Nicaragua, ascend the river San Juan to 

 the lake of Nicaragua, and thence proceed across the continent, by the 

 contemplated route of the proposed canal or railroad, to the Pacific ocean: 

 after which examination, he was directed to repair to Guatemala, the cap- 

 ital of the republic, and with the aid of Mr. De Witt, the charge d'affaires 

 of the United States, procure all such public documents connected with 

 the subject as might be had, and especially copies of all such laws as had 

 been passed, and contracts and conventions as had been made, to carry 

 into etfect the undertaking, and also all plans, surveys, or estimates in re- 

 lation to it. From Guatemala he was directed to proceed to Panama, and 

 make observations and inquiries relative to the proposed connexion of the 

 two oceans at that point. Unfortunately, from the difficulties of procuring 

 conveyances to San Juan, the agent went to Panama first; from adverse 

 circumstances, never reached Nicaragua, and died soon after his return to 

 the United States. He nevertheless made a partial report concerning the 

 isthmus ot Panama, to the effect that it was not practicable for a canal. 



In I83t, the subject was again taken up in Central America, by General 

 Marazan, who resolved to have the proposed line of the canal exactly sur- 

 veyed, intending to raise a loan in Europe for the execution of the work. 

 Mr. John Bailey was employed for the former purpose, but his work was 



